More Images

Related Links

Festival president post is 'labor of love' held by movers and shakers

Lisa Ballantine (left) and Wanda Copley are past presidents of the N.C. Azalea Festival. For five days in April, the festival president is arguably one of the most important people in the region. Photo courtesy of Azalea Festival

Published: Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 1:20 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 1:20 a.m.

Lisa Ballantine (left) and Wanda Copley are past presidents of the N.C. Azalea Festival. For five days in April, the festival president is arguably one of the most important people in the region. Photo courtesy of Azalea Festival

Copley, who was the president in 2003, says after six years of planning the festival and one year of being responsible for it going smoothly, being a past president means you can enjoy the garden party and the concerts without worrying about the next issue.

“I'd go home at night and stay up two or three hours a night returning email,” she said. “It really has to be a labor of love or you wouldn't do it. When you're president, all of it is on you.”

For five days in April, the Azalea Festival president is arguably one of the most important people in the region. Few local business or political leaders can say they brought more than $50 million in total economic impact to Wilmington's economy in five days. The festival represented about 20 percent of Wilmington's total economic activity for festival week in April 2011, according to a UNCW study.

Started in 1948, the N.C. Azalea Festival includes the queen's coronation, concerts, a parade, a street fair, garden and home tours, celebrity appearances and more at venues across town. But being president also means more business and social contacts and a chance to cement a reputation as a civic leader.

Just being president of the Azalea Festival is exclusive company. The list of 65 past presidents is full of recognizable names from all facets of the community from local government to business owners.

Copley, for example, is the attorney for the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.

Charlie Rivenbark, president of the 2007 Azalea Festival, is on the Wilmington City Council. Penelope Spicer-Sidbury, president in 2006, is the longtime city clerk, and Lisa Ballantine, wife of former Republican state senator Patrick Ballantine, was president during the 2004 festival. Chuck Kays, last year's president, was considered for the vacant seat on the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.

Kays, a plastic surgeon who performs reconstructive surgeries for breast cancer patients, said overseeing the festival shows the community your leadership skills.

“When you do that, people think that is what is needed in politicians,” Kays said. “It does get you into the public eye. It shows what kind of person you are.”

Hank Estep said when he was president in 2011, he had no plans to run for office. But his wife, Lisa, wanted to run for school board. Lisa Estep was elected to the New Hanover County School Board in the wake of his term as festival president.

“If you have any desire to continue on like public office or expand your business, it does help,” Estep said.

But exposure is not what drove Kays or the other past presidents to devote years to the festival.

“It gives people a chance to participate in something bigger than them and give back to their community,” Kays said. “Being a past president to me means that I had the opportunity to participate and help put this incredible festival on.”

The festival presidency goes to a new person each year. The path to the presidency starts six years from the day someone is selected to the Azalea Festival board. Most people volunteer for a few years before applying to the board. It can take up to a decade to reach the top spot. The path alone makes the festival presidency unique since few people commit to anything for six to 10 years except for mortgages and car loans. But the method also preserves the festival's institutional knowledge because each president worked closely with the former president and board for years before taking the top spot.

Current president Donna Cameron started on the major donor committee. Kays was the festival physician and Estep led the sanitation committee, essentially making sure the Porta Potties were in place for two years before working his way to the board. Once on the board, the members are promoted up the chain as each president departs.

Cameron called the cadre of past presidents a “jewel.” She met with a group of presidents last month, including Estep and Copley, to talk about this year's festival and get advice.

“They've walked in these shoes,” Cameron said.

As with her predecessors, the festival has become all-consuming. The morning after the past presidents meeting, Cameron was at the Brigade Boys & Girls Club to go over plans for the queen's visit. Cameron had already been up for hours returning emails and preparing for an early morning radio interview. But the long hours didn't show. She was energized and engaging, shaking hands with Brigade Boys & Girls Club officials and leading the meeting.

“It is contagious,” Cameron said. “It gets in your bloodstream and it is hard to let it go. You have to have a passion for it.”

All of the past presidents know exactly what Cameron is going through.

Kays remembers being up nights returning emails and putting out fires. When he finally got to sleep, he'd wake up worrying about the details like rain during the street fair or if one of the concert performers was a no show. Copley tells the same stories.

Last year, Kays had a small garden built at Airlie Gardens and planted an azalea bush for each past president. The garden, which sits near the banks of Bradley Creek, honors all of the more than 1,500 volunteers who work on the festival.

<p>Former <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/entertainment10"><b>Azalea Festival</b></a> President Wanda Copley says the best job in the festival is “past president.”</p><p>Copley, who was the president in 2003, says after six years of planning the festival and one year of being responsible for it going smoothly, being a past president means you can enjoy the garden party and the concerts without worrying about the next issue.</p><p>“I'd go home at night and stay up two or three hours a night returning email,” she said. “It really has to be a labor of love or you wouldn't do it. When you're president, all of it is on you.”</p><p>For five days in April, the Azalea Festival president is arguably one of the most important people in the region. Few local business or political leaders can say they brought more than $50 million in total economic impact to Wilmington's economy in five days. The festival represented about 20 percent of Wilmington's total economic activity for festival week in April 2011, according to a <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic71"><b>UNCW</b></a> study.</p><p>Started in 1948, the N.C. Azalea Festival includes the queen's coronation, concerts, a parade, a street fair, garden and home tours, celebrity appearances and more at venues across town. But being president also means more business and social contacts and a chance to cement a reputation as a civic leader.</p><p>Just being president of the Azalea Festival is exclusive company. The list of 65 past presidents is full of recognizable names from all facets of the community from local government to business owners. </p><p>Copley, for example, is the attorney for the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.</p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic74"><b>Charlie Rivenbark</b></a>, president of the 2007 Azalea Festival, is on the Wilmington City Council. Penelope Spicer-Sidbury, president in 2006, is the longtime city clerk, and Lisa Ballantine, wife of former Republican state senator Patrick Ballantine, was president during the 2004 festival. Chuck Kays, last year's president, was considered for the vacant seat on the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.</p><p>Kays, a plastic surgeon who performs reconstructive surgeries for breast cancer patients, said overseeing the festival shows the community your leadership skills. </p><p>“When you do that, people think that is what is needed in politicians,” Kays said. “It does get you into the public eye. It shows what kind of person you are.”</p><p>Hank Estep said when he was president in 2011, he had no plans to run for office. But his wife, Lisa, wanted to run for school board. Lisa Estep was elected to the New Hanover County School Board in the wake of his term as festival president.</p><p>“If you have any desire to continue on like public office or expand your business, it does help,” Estep said. </p><p>But exposure is not what drove Kays or the other past presidents to devote years to the festival. </p><p>“It gives people a chance to participate in something bigger than them and give back to their community,” Kays said. “Being a past president to me means that I had the opportunity to participate and help put this incredible festival on.”</p><p>The festival presidency goes to a new person each year. The path to the presidency starts six years from the day someone is selected to the Azalea Festival board. Most people volunteer for a few years before applying to the board. It can take up to a decade to reach the top spot. The path alone makes the festival presidency unique since few people commit to anything for six to 10 years except for mortgages and car loans. But the method also preserves the festival's institutional knowledge because each president worked closely with the former president and board for years before taking the top spot.</p><p> Current president Donna Cameron started on the major donor committee. Kays was the festival physician and Estep led the sanitation committee, essentially making sure the Porta Potties were in place for two years before working his way to the board. Once on the board, the members are promoted up the chain as each president departs. </p><p>Cameron called the cadre of past presidents a “jewel.” She met with a group of presidents last month, including Estep and Copley, to talk about this year's festival and get advice.</p><p>“They've walked in these shoes,” Cameron said.</p><p>As with her predecessors, the festival has become all-consuming. The morning after the past presidents meeting, Cameron was at the Brigade Boys & Girls Club to go over plans for the queen's visit. Cameron had already been up for hours returning emails and preparing for an early morning radio interview. But the long hours didn't show. She was energized and engaging, shaking hands with Brigade Boys & Girls Club officials and leading the meeting.</p><p>“It is contagious,” Cameron said. “It gets in your bloodstream and it is hard to let it go. You have to have a passion for it.”</p><p>All of the past presidents know exactly what Cameron is going through.</p><p>Kays remembers being up nights returning emails and putting out fires. When he finally got to sleep, he'd wake up worrying about the details like rain during the street fair or if one of the concert performers was a no show. Copley tells the same stories.</p><p>Last year, Kays had a small garden built at <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic04"><b>Airlie Gardens</b></a> and planted an azalea bush for each past president. The garden, which sits near the banks of Bradley Creek, honors all of the more than 1,500 volunteers who work on the festival. </p><p>“I am glad I was president,” Kays said. “But, I am glad it belongs to somebody else now.”</p><p>Soon, Cameron will join the 65 other past presidents in the best job in the festival.</p><p>And like Kays, she'll probably feel the same way. </p><p><i></p><p>Kevin Maurer: 343-2339</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @StarNewsKevin</i></p>